Jews protest at Elazar, 2009
Jews protest at Elazar, 2009Flash 90

Arab activists blocked the road leading out of the Jewish community of Elazar on Monday. Elazar is located in the Etzion settlement bloc, south of Jerusalem.

A resident of Elazar told Arutz Sheva that she was trying to drive out of the community when she saw a group of Arabs accompanied by some foreign journalists. The Arabs were chanting various slogans and lying down on the road.

"They simply blocked the exit, and brought some journalists in order to make a big deal out of it,” she added.

The local security forces, including the community's security officer, were on the scene and the background for the action was not immediately clear.

Maariv-NRG reported that the protesters are about 35 Arabs and foreign leftist volunteers. The protest is directed against Israel's "settlement policy" and the activists tried to plant several olive trees. There have been clashes with police, who arrested three of the demonstrators.